God is there first: Remembering Robert

We often come late to the party.  Hopping aboard a moving train, we arrive behind the 8-ball.

Two examples:  Learning today that my daughter was feeling queazy, I immediately registered concern.  Is she 'with-child,' battling a flu bug or bucking a bad burrito?

"I am already here," the Good Lord whispered.  "You are late but right on time.  The situation is well in-hand."

It was like that when Robert moved from here to There.  February 26, 2005.  I was stunned.  Our children were reeling.  One neighbor argued with the bearer of bad news, "Not Robert MacMurchy!  That's impossible!  He is the picture of health."

Larry refused to believe it.  Larry was late.  The proceeding had already begun, well on its way.

A Place was prepared.*  Both for Robert and for me.  Nathaniel was prepared for Joy.  Danielle migrated to her new home and found work that was prepared for her in California.  Gabriel had just arrived home from Iraq.  Just in time to say, "Hello" to his father.  And "Goodbye."

For awhile, "Goodbye."

The Lord had a prepared place for me:  The embrace of my friends.  The security of my House that Robert Built.  The outstretched hand of my Good Neighbor as I take-off for school.  Across the street at his window, cup in hand, waving.  Every single morning, greeting me.  Blessing my day.

"For we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do."**

On that life-changing Saturday, I arrived late to God's middle-of-the-night work.  Confused.  Unprepared.  Frightened.  But He was there.  Ready to take me forward.  And in these subsequent five years,  I trust that some Good Works have transpired.  Things prepared in advance for me to do.

God had made preparations for my children:

God gave Elissa to Gabriel.

Aaron is here.  For Danielle.
Joy and Gift of God Nathaniel dwell happily together.

The MacMurchy Family has lost 2 and gained 5.  Typical of God's math.

Out of nothing, God created Everything.  And said, "It is good."

Don't ask who ate the other half

Delly just slid into her 8th decade with her baking blessing well in tact.  The dear saint called just before I was leaving school the other day to implore me to stop by her house on my way home.  It won't take a minute, I have something to give you.

It was a German chocolate cake just like my Mama used to make.  It's always been my requested birthday cake.  Delly knows this.

When I arrived, she said, "It's my day to bless those I love."


"I am blessed," I responded.


"You are loved," she said.

As I drove away with the warm cake wafting in the back seat,  I mumbled just loud enough for the Good Dear Lord to hear, "Delly will be one of those saints who greets me on the Other Shore.  I know she will.  She might even have a cake."

Keeping you up are we, Laddie?

The kids out and about downtown Farg.  Nathaniel's 27th birthday.  Happy beloved birthday, Dear Son.  Are you eating right and getting enough rest?

I just can't seem to type 'son-in-law.'  There's nothing forced about my thankfulness to God for Nathaniel, Elissa and Aaron.  I love them as my own.  Don't try and stop me!

The fine chap to the left ~ Andrew MacHendricks, one of the Scottish Cousins! Wide-eyed and perky!  Obviously eating right and getting enough rest.

Must be something in the water!

I'll be a blue-nosed gopher if I'm not in the mood for a change.  New doo color, new and improved glass frames and new threads from Joyce's Boutique.

Don't try and stop me!

Good Neighbor Larry clicked this winter photo of the House That Robert Built.

Heavy wet snow stuck to evergreens has made for a beautiful winter. And when the moisture sets in, everything glistens like affordable diamonds.

DAron - the happy Virginia dwellers - have had record-breaking piles of snow ~ over 70 inches.  Someone said the other day that Watertown tops the South Dakota snow heap, around the 50-something mark.

I've enjoyed it, truth be known.  Always good to remember who the weatherMan truly is.  His Name be praised.

Just ran across this classic photo of a theatre on a blog I've been stalking today.  Dani0 and Aaron, is this a theater in Leesburg, VA? 

the Wisest Man in any room

of course, is Jesus.  But the wisest Jesus-pursuer, is Dallas Willard.

Hear Dr. Willard interviewed by Frank Pastore on his southern Cali radio show:
http://www2.kkla.com/podcast/frank/FrankPastoreShow-Thurs4pmHr_02-11-2010.mp3

(easy: just cut and paste the website above.  Listen and learn, well worth a few moments)

Glass combing

Combed glass by artist Deborah Ballog. kiln-formed glass.  


Cheri0 got me thinking about glass combing on the beach.  When I googled it, a whole new world of art opened.  


This piece is entitled, In the Beginning.  

this is a Doozy

Check It Out:
http://www.americanthinker.com/printpage/?url=http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/02/why_real_men_get_their_hands_d.html

The happy homeowners

DAron were in the middle of the 36 inch snow milieu this weekend in the DC area.
The best news:  Bonding for the kids with their new home.  Shoveling 3-ft snow drifts together can make for a Good Time.
And the Beltway Boys headed home.  Millions of dollars saved over the weekend.  Yee haw!

The Fallacy of 'Fairness'

Speaking of wheels - see posts below - why reinvent one?  Thomas Sowell plucks an over-used, under-defined word from the political crown.  With great effect.  I could never explain it so aptly.  Let Professor Sowell do the heavy lifting in the myth-busting department.

http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell020910.php3

The answer to my tire well dilemma

Someone needs to thank me

Humorous story:  
Slip-slidin' across the parking lot after church, I began kicking the piles of frozen snow out of my Camry tire wells.  The white stuff gets so packed in, that the wheels barely turn and there is a crunch-rattle racket as I drive.  After deftly wielding the snow scraper handle around the wheels, I was tickled when several large ice rocks plopped from inside the four tire wells.  "Whew, smooth driving now!"  I thought.  Then grabbing my keys, I clicked the clicker to get into my vehicle.  But oddly, my car would not open.  "This is not good," I mumbled to myself and God.  Perhaps the cold has affected my key clicker.  As I mozied around the back of the car, I noticed a spoiler.  My silver Camry does not have a spoiler.  Glancing inside the mystery vehicle, reality struck:  "CHellooo, this is not your car, you NimRod!"  


So you are very welcome, fellow Church-goer, whoever you are.  The snow rocks are removed.  Smooth sailing!


Today after school, I swung by my faithful Auto Guy.  Josh, a former student, works there.  He crow-barred a small quarry out of my Camry tire wells.  Slipping him a 5 spot and some brownies, I thanked Josh.  Smooth sailing!

100th Day Celebration

That's right, 100 fun-filled days of first grade. Over half-way through the school year and edging in on spring and then S-U-M-M-E-R!!! But I digress: Morgan took 100 jelly beans or some kind of round yummy looking sphere to school to celebrate the occasion. The goal: Teaching chilluns how to count clear up to 1-0-0! We do it at McKinley as well. Morgan also had to wear black and white but not sure why. I'm hoping Mama Elissa will set the record straight.

Meanwhile ~ I love that child!!!

Saturday Quote

What is it that makes us preen, recoil, laugh (when catching a glimpse of ourselves in a mirror)? It must be the degree of incongruity between what we thought we were and what we actually saw.
I have seen Latin American Indians whoop with laughter upon first seeing themselves on a movie screen, but I have never seen them indignant, as "civilized" people often seem to be. Perhaps it is that an Indian has not occupied himself very much with trying to be what he is not.
Elisabeth Elliot
http://www.elisabethelliot.org/devotional.html

Beautiful Barb with her daughter, Emma.  We love you Barbie!

the greatest place in God's good earth to work

This is my beloved McKinley staff.  I have happily worked among these folks for 18 years and when the chips are down, this family rallies!  This early morning gathering was for the purpose of praying together for one of our own:  Barb Struwe.  

Barb taught many years at McKinley and six years ago moved to another elementary school in town.  She is one of the most out-of-the-box terrific teachers in our district. Barb recently learned that she has breast cancer.  Fully a third of the staff gathered in this picture do not know Barb.  But they came early to pray anyway.  Steve Anderson, the best PE teacher in America, holds the sign.  Steve has been cancer-free for over five years.  We nearly lost him.  (Steve, by the bye, is the gentleman who stains my giant outside deck every year just because he is wonderful!)

Barb sent an email update today with the salutation, "Dearest Army."  The first sentence was a beautiful prayer and reveals Barb's heart:  "Blessed are You Lord, our God, Ruler of the universe, for giving us life, for sustaining us, and for enabling us to reach this happy day."  It is a Hebrew prayer that Barb slapped on her bathroom mirror ages ago.  
Barb will represent Jesus well throughout her ordeal.  She has resigned herself to His watchcare:  "Thy will be done" is her prayer.  May God be praised